Articles

Welder Bill Capozzoli owns and operates a small specialty fabrication company. He works with architect Phillip Conte to fabricate a memorial made of stainless steel to honor fallen Delaware County, Pa. law enforcement officers.

Dressing properly for welding involves many facets of safety, including proper use of personal protective equipment and welding tools as well as protective apparel. Welders should be aware of the hazards they will face on their job and know to dress for them so they can protect themselves from all possible potential welding dangers, from sparks and spatter to fumes and electrocution.

Advanced master control systems in hydraulic press lines are designed to help achieve shorter changeover times, transparency of line operation, minimize personnel requirements, and increase productivity levels and uptime.

As in other facets of welding equipment technology, arc welding power sources are evolving as fabricators' needs change. Electronics is playing a large role in power source modernization as power source equipmentmakers begin to employ digital interfacing, Internet access, software control, and other innovations to these machines.

The exclusion of Canadian steel producers from restrictions on imports to the U.S. was a relief after months of uncertainty. The Canadian steel industry wants to ensure that the Canadian market does not become a back door for imports into the U.S. Keeping the industry strong by opening new markets, developing lighter, stronger and more corrosion-resistant steel products, and working closely with the automotive industry is vital to that goal.

According to OSHA, it is estimated that 9 out of 10 occupational related eye injuries could be avoided through the use of proper safety equipment. OSHA's 1910.133 places the responsibility for eye safety squarely on the shoulders of the employer. Goggles, spectacles and face shields protect the eyes and face from impact from flying particles, hot sparks, liquid chemicals and vapors. In addition, protective eyewear constructed with special shaded lenses rated from 1-15 offer protection against injurious light radiation and glare.

Most metal forming operations use lubricants to protect the tooling and part from excessive wear caused by scuffing, scratching, scoring, welding, and galling. Four lubricant families are commonly used in pressworking, and thousands of formulations are available within each chemical family. The physical characteristics of the lubricant and metal forming operation involved determine the application method to be used.

Almost all welding codes require bend tests for welding procedures and welder qualifications. These tests can cause more problems in aluminum than in steel.In bend testing, a 1.5-inch-wide sample is cut so the weld is running across the width of the sample. Then the sample is bent around a...

The GTAW Process
Editor's Note: This article is the first part of a two-part series about developments in orbital welding. Part I discusses power supplies, weld heads, and electrodes. Part II, which will appear in the October/November issue, will focus on hardware and accessories that
improve...

A new type of hydroforming press was recently developed for sheet applications. The new press incorporates data acquisition and control features for research purposes. Current press frame designs for tube and sheet forming are uneconomic for large forces. This press achieves a clamping force of 100 mN, which is absorbed by a single cast frame with a circumferential pretensioning system.

Switching from an oil-based lubricant to a water-based gel lubricant helped an exhaust-system components manufacturer, Zeuna Starker, reduce costs and cycle time. After studying several types of lubricants, the company chose a water-based gel that was less prone to spilling onto the floor and did not produce smoke during the welding process. The company reaped benefits in decreased housekeeping and disposal costs, and found that it did not need to wash the lubricant residue from semifinished parts before welding.

Bath Iron Works is a shipyard in Bath, Maine, that has large-hull production and launch capacity. It's also an example of how shipbuilding has advanced in the use of materials, CAD programs, and more modern fabrication methods.

The Fabricator Blog

The college track passes right by manufacturing - by Dan Davis

As educators push for their students toward a college-prep curriculum, students are missing out on possible vocational training opportunities and the manufacturing industry is missing out on young talent.

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